Door latch



E. S. MODES May 28, 1957 DOOR LATCH Filed Dec. 31, 1954 INVENTORI.Edward 5. Modes J I g n d SW65 PW (Q DOOR LATCH Edward S. Modes,Glendale, Calif.

Application December 31, 1954, Serial No. 479,124

2 Claims. ci. 292- 128) This invention relates to a door latch and hasfor its primary object to secure a screen door in place in a dooropening.

Another object is to cause the latch to positively engage a keeper andmeans to enable the latch to be moved out of retaining engagement fromeither side of the door.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this inventionwhich embodies among its features a keeper plate mounted to move in ahorizontal path, said keeper plate having an elongated vertical slotextending therethrough, a latch mounted to move in a vertical path whichintersects the horizontal path, said latch being adapted to extendthrough the slot and to engage the keeper plate, a cam carried by thelatch and extending outwardly therefrom into the horizontal path forengaging the keeper plate adjacent the lower end of the slot and liftingthe latch as the keeper plate approaches the latch, a lug carried by thelatch and extending laterally outwardly therefrom to define a handle formoving the latch upwardly in the slot and out of latching engagementwith the keeper plate, a lever mounted adjacent the keeper plate to rockin a vertical arcuate path which when the latch engages the keeperintersects the path of movement of the latch, and said lever when thekeeper is engaged by the latch extending beneath the cam for liftingsaid latch and holding it elevated during its withdrawal through theslot.

Other features include spring means mounted adjacent the latch, and 2.lug carried by and extending outwardly from the latch for engagement bythe keeper plate to yieldingly advance the latch into latchingengagement with the keeper plate.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of a door frame showing thisimproved latch mounted thereon and engaging a keeper carried by a door,the latter being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side view of a door showing it in closed andlatched position in a door opening;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyon the line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a side view of the latch;

Figure 7 is a side view of a cover plate in conjunction with the door;and

Figure 8 is a side view of the keeper plate.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a door 10 is mounted on a doorframe 12 to move in a horizontal path into and out of closing relationwith a doorway 14.

Pivotally mounted as by a screw 16 to the door frame 12 and extendinginto the horizontal path of movement of the door 10 is a latchdesignated generally 18. The latch 18 comprises an elongated body 20having an opening 22 extending therethrough adjacent one end thereof forthe reception of the pivot screw 16, and extending through the body 20intermediate the ends thereof is an elongated transversely extendingslot 24 for the reception of a stop screw 26 which enters the door frame12 in spaced relation to the screw 16, as will be readily understoodupon reference to the drawings. Carried by and extending outwardly fromthe body 20 intermediate the ends thereof is a finger 28 defining athumb piece by means of which the latch may be lifted about the axis ofthe screw 16, as will be readily understood upon reference to Figure l.Alug 30 is carried by and extends laterally outwardly from the body 20beneath the finger 28 for engagement by the spring 32, one end of whichencircles the screw 16, while the opposite end extends outwardlytherefrom beneath the screw 26 and engages the lug 30 to yieldingly urgethe latch downwardly into the full line position illustrated inFigure 1. A suitable retaining tongue 34 is carried by the spring 32adjacent the end thereof remote from that which is connected to thescrew 16 and engages the lug 30 to prevent disengagement of the spring32 with the lug 30. Carried by the body 20 and extending longitudinallytherefrom adjacent the end thereof remote from the opening 22 is a neck36 which defines with the body 20 a notch 38, the wall of which remotefrom the body 20 extends substantially perpendicularly to thelongitudinal axis of the body 20 and forms a stop for engagement with akeeper plate, to be more fully hereinafter described. The lower edge ofthe stop curves upwardly and inwardly as it recedes from the body 20 todefine a cam 40, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

As illustrated in the drawings, the door 10 is provided with an opening42 which, as illustrated, is adapted to receive the end of the latch 18remote from the pivot screw 16, and fixed to the door 10 in coveringrelation with one end of the opening 42 is a plate 44 defining a keeperfor engaging the latch 18 and holding the door in closed relation to thedoorway 14. The plate 44 is provided with an elongated verticallyextending slot 46 through which the latch 18 projects when the door isin closed position and extending through the plate 44 are internallyscrew threaded openings 48 for the reception of retaining screws 50 bymeans of which the plate 44 is secured against the side of the dooradjacent the door frame. A cover plate 52 is provided adjacent oppositeends with openings 54 which are adapted to align with the internallyscrew threaded openings 48 in the plate 44 to receive the screws 50, andextending through the cover plate 52 intermediate the ends thereof is ahorizontally extending slot 56 for the reception of the tongue 58 of alever 60 which is normally tilted so that its inner end lies adjacentthe lower side of the opening 42 and when the door is in closed positionbeneath the cam 40 of the latch 18.

In use, it will be evident that with the keeper plate 44 mounted on thedoor, as illustrated in the drawings, and the cover plate mounted on theopposite side of the door, as the door moves to closed position, thelatch 18, projecting into the path of movement of the keeper 44, will beengaged by the bottom wall of the slot 46 and lifted by the cam 40 sothat the wall 38 of the notch will engage behind the keeper to hold thedoor 10 in closing relation to the door opening. When it is desired toopen the door from the side adjacent the door frame, the tongue 28 isengaged and the latch 18 lifted against the effort of the spring 32 todisengage the wall 38 from the lower portion of the keeper 44 so thatthe door may be opened by moving it away from the door frame 12 and thusextracting the latch through the slot 46 from the opening 42. In openingthe door from the opposite side, downward pressure is exerted upon thethumb piece 58 to cause the lever 60 to rock in the slot 56 and engagethe cam 40 to lift the latch into the released position,

s su geste by the dot ed li le in Fi ure 2- 9b i91 l as the door movesto closed position, the plate 44 will move in a horizontal path tointersect the path of movement of th la ch 18 and when he e rn 9 is enged b the, bottom wall of the slot 46, the latch 18 will rnove in itsvertical ,arcuate path, as suggested by the broken i e i Figu e 1, rubsequentl mo ds uwa d y under the influen .o t e w n q hat th N -3117 52 the notG elat h b d :9 w ll en a e hind the P ate 44 to sepurethe doorin closed position. 7

Wh le in t c ego n t re has been Shown and scribed th p f rred embc men0 this n en on i i to be und rstood. hat mine hae i tl e d ai nr i n,iua eu and. r em n Par may b es r ed t wit out departin twi th pi andscope Of he inventi n as c a med What is a me e 1; In a latch assembly,a support, an elongated latch ha n a s e d nd as c ud d mea s pivotingthe latch to the support at said first end, said latch being formed Witha slot extending therefa mss at a point between said means and thesecond end of the latch, a stop secured to said support and extendingthrough said slot, said lateh having upper and lower edges, a laterallug on said lower edge between said stop and the second end of thelatch, an elongated spring having a first end secured to said means anda second free end, said spring having an intermediate portion engagedbeneath said stop with the free end of the spring tensioned upon andbearing upon said lug, said lower edge of the latch having a notchbetween said lug and the second end of the latch defining a head havinga stop edge facing said lug, said head being arranged to engage throughan opening in a keeper plate 4 ith sa d star e515? e aasssl ith a s de 9he keeper plate.

2. In a latch assembly, a support, an elongated latch having a first endand a second end, means pivoting the latch to the support at said firstend, said latch being formed with a slot extending thereacross at apoint between said means and the second end of the latch, a stop securedto said support and extending through said slot,

said latch having upper and lower edges, a lateral lug on said loweredge between said stop and the second end of the latch, an'elongatedspring having a first end Secured W a d m and a sssqnd vt e e said i ehaving an intermediate portion engaged beneath said stop with the freeend of the spring tensioned upon and bearing upon said lug, said loweredge of the latch having a notch between said lug and the second end ofthe latch defining a head having a stop edge facing said lug, said headbeing arranged t9 engage through an opening in a pe Pla th s id t9 ed een a ed wit a side the keeper plate, the part of the lower edge of thelatch. on a d ea sigs a ve t define a cam o latch piv e a emen w th n d9 keeper Pl e rng.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

